​During last week’s HERYN (Helping Engage our River’s Youth with Nature) program at the Central PA Wesleyan Campground in New Columbia, our 73 participants caught over 725 fish from the lake and put their new kayaking skills to the test in races and games. Some even tried fried bluegill that was caught from the lake that day!

The kids had so much fun during the program, and it is safe to say our staff and volunteers did as well.

Six consecutive HERYN (Helping Engage our River's Youth with Nature) program days from June 21-26, 2021, introduced 73 young people ages 10-13 to valuable hands-on skills in both kayaking and fishing at the Central Pennsylvania Wesleyan Campground near New Columbia. 

The Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association's HERYN (Helping Engage our River's Youth with Nature) Program is offering six youth kayaking/fishing program days next week June 21-26) at a campground near New Columbia.

There is currently an opening for a 10-13 year-old female participant on Thursday, June 24. The spot will be filled on a first-registered, first-filled basis. We are also taking names for possible backup options if someone else has to cancel last-minute. The program runs from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. with a rotation between kayaking and fishing instruction by some of the region's best outdoors instructors and a team of dedicated helpers.

​In response to a poster challenge by the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association heading into Earth Day, 8-year-old Liam Crames, of Selinsgrove, put crayon to paper to educate others about the threat of snakehead fish.

“I first learned about them on ‘River Monsters’ (television show). Then I learned more about them on random internet sites,” he said. “I hate them because they are invasive, they kill other fish too much and they’re bad for the river.”

The first set of HERYN (Helping Engage our River's Youth with Nature) program days are set to kick off on June 21, with a different group of 12 young people, ages 10-13, participating each day over a six-day week.

Representatives with NuCanoe, an American-made kayaking and canoe company out of Washington state, have helped the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association obtain a fleet of NuCanoe Flint kayaks at a very reasonable price. To help toward matching/in kind grant funds, we are accepting donations toward the final costs of these kayaks.​